Phantoms
by Ellie's imagination world
Summary: a 3-shot(?) Mana has always felt a presence, watching over her throughout her life. One night, her ghost appears from her beloved popcorn bucket. Mana now has to deal with a dwarf that travels to her home in his dreams, along with the struggle against his future fate. Mana struggles with confusing popcorn buckets, flirtatious dwarves, brooding kings and (Literally) magical dreams.


**An: ... well... I must admit, this is a guilty pleasure piece that has been in my head for a while... I know the OC's encounter with him seems a little fast, but just bare with it. I will make sure to make the next chapters longer. **

**I do plan to continue Broken Cages, I even have the next chapter started! I just need a little break. I will continue to alternate between writing this story and Broken Cages, so no worries. **

**Enjoy my newest story!**

**Ellie**

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><p>I stared at the empty popcorn bucket in contemplation. A moment ago, I was casually braiding myself some awesome friendship bracelets, but a cold shiver running up my spine paused my fluid movements. I know, braiding friendship bracelets for yourself? I must have <em>so<em> many friends.

Anywho, back to the weird shiver thing - you know that shiver you get when you just _know _someone is staring at you? Well, since it was currently very warm and toasty in my room, I saw no other reason for my shiver other than the possibility that I have something wrong with my nervous system.

Entirely plausible, but something I knew to be false. Someone was watching me. I looked around my room suspiciously, expecting one of my cats to have magically appeared on my bed - they have a habit of doing that and scaring the crap outta me.

Seeing no hair or hide of a fluffy ball, I cast my gaze to the empty popcorn bucket sitting on my bookshelf. For the past few months, I've been leery of that bucket.

I know - why would you think a simple bucket is weird? It's not the bucket itself that irked me, but the certain characters _on_ the bucket.

At times, I swear to the heavens that they have moved - on numerous occasions. Whenever I dressed, I made sure that my back was to the bucket. And every single time, I would feel that cold stroke of air brush against my skin.

In cheap print, the bucket showed the logo of 'The Hobbit', presenting the three heirs of Durin standing proud as imaginary wind blew their glorious locks away from their striking faces. I loved it since I've had it - ever since the midnight premiere of the Hobbit movie. But lately, I've gotten a strange vibe from the king size popcorn bucket (which was, literally a bucket).

Eyeing the bucket for a second longer, I shrugged to myself and focused back on my friendship bracelet - which was halfway done. I was so absorbed in my task I didn't notice the dip in my matress, or a presence peering over my shoulder.

A rumbling voice stroked my ear, causing me to yelp out in alarm. "That is some fine braiding."

I scrambled back to the wall, which wasn't very far.

Fili sat before me, perched on the edge of my bed with a smug expression. I glanced back at the bucket, my eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets when I saw his silhouette wasn't where it usually was. I looked back to Fili, who still looked rather happy at my reaction - for reasons unbeknownst to me.

And of course, because I'm an intelligent person, I asked the most important question I could have thought of at the moment. "WHY ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BUCKET?!"

He simply shrugged, lifting himself completely onto my bed and scooting back next to where I cowered against the wall. "It was getting rather boring just watching you - even when you were dressing. Why do you turn your back? Did you suspect me all along?" He looked down at me with smoldering eyes, scanning my body with a predatory look.

I made to leap off the bed - but stopped when a rather strong hand enclosed my upper arm. I tried to yank my arm free, but to no avail - he was ridiculously strong. "Let me go! You aren't even supposed to exist!"

He pulled me forcefully back into a sitting position. "I do not intend to let you escape just when I have." He gave me a hard look, still darkened with something I couldn't identify. I slumped against the wall in defeat, realizing that my idea of escaping this bizarre encounter was futile. "I have watched you for a long time, love. I will not let you go so easily." His voice had dropped an octave, creating a pleasant low rumble - similar to a purr.

I looked up at him with wide eyes, still struggling to absorb all of this. "H-how..." I gulped, trying to clear my nerves as best as I could. He waited patiently, loosening his grip on my arm and stroking the soft skin with the pad of his thumb. That didn't help me clear my thoughts at all. "How long have you been watching me?"

"Longer thank you think." He hummed. Suddenly, he reached over and hooked his other arm under my knees - effortlessly lifting me onto his lap.

I let out a squeak of surprise, squirming furiously as an attempt to escape. Fili's grip on me suddenly tightened as I heard him breath in a sharp breath of air. "If you want to keep you clothing, I suggest you stop moving." I froze - taking notice of his low tone and uneven breathing. As his breathing returned to a more rhythmic state, I let my stiff muscles relax a bit.

"Now that wasn't so hard, wasn't it?" He purred into my ear. I shivered, his hot breath warming my cool skin. I looked up at him hesitantly, catching his smoldering green orbs. "Hmmm." He hummed, a low rumble in his chest vibrating through my whole being. My cheeks flamed, my thoughts catching up to my current situation.

I have _never_, in my entire life, had ever been this close to man other than my family. It was unnerving, but not entirely unpleasant - with how warm and strong he was...

I mentally slapped myself. _What are you thinking, becoming attracted to an imaginary person who has broken into your room?! Control yourself!_

No matter how much I lectured myself, I couldn't stop the warmth spreading in my belly as he held me against his chest.

"Now that you have somewhat calmed down, would you like to continue your braiding?" He held my unfinished braid, offering a familiar comfort.

I slowly took the string from his large hand, hearing that pleasant hum of satisfaction as I gripped the colorful braid. "Good girl."

He offered the coffee mug I was using to hook the braid on, placing it in my hands when I didn't react. His arms snaked around my waist, his chest against my back as his presence enveloped me.

_He's like a furnace_, I thought. I looped my braid back on the mug's handle, refocusing the best I could on the strings in my lap. It was hard when a warm, humming chest was behind you in the place of a wall and a scruffy chin was resting on your head. One of his hands left my waist, reaching up to instead run his fingers through my auburn hair. My hands paused their braiding, slightly surprised by the pleasant feeling of his fingers massaging my scalp. "It feels nice to finally _touch_ you..." He murmured.

_That_ confused me. "What do you mean?" I whispered.

"I have been watching from afar for so long, like a phantom." His warm breath stroked it's way down my neck, traveling down to my spine. "I've watched you grow, but only in my dreams..." He groaned, wrapping his other arm tighter around my waist. I was flushed against him now, very confused and very, very warm.

"I've loved you ever since you cried for me, Mana. Ever since you weeped for my fate." My mind flashed back to when I first read the Hobbit book, how hard my ten year-old self had cried when I reached the end. I had locked myself in my room, refusing to come out as I wallowed in depression. When the sun had set, a new wave of tears had come upon me as I mourned for characters that never were. I was startled for a moment as a breeze shifted through my room, mostly because I had felt warmer than I had a few seconds ago. I also felt as if someone was _cradling _me, comforting me. I had started sniffling, feeling my tears dry up as I relished in the comfort I couldn't see. At that time, I mostly ignored the fact that there shouldn't have been any breeze in my room.

I looked up at him in surprise. "But that's impossible! That was years ago!"

He smiled. "Aye lass, it was. I had that first dream of you while I was still just a small Dwarfling in Ered Luin. It was quite a shock for me." He buried his head in my hair, inhaling a deep breath. "I vowed that I would protect you from your fears not long after, even if I was just a ghost to you."

I stared blankly down at my coffee mug. This was a lot to take in within such a short amount of time. He shifted behind me, looking at the fading light through my window. "Love, you should sleep. You never do if you don't go to bed right away." I looked up at him, letting my eyes narrow when I saw mischief swirling in his eyes.

"How do you know that?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I've been very observant, love." He gave a heart stopping smile as he gently took my mug and set it on the nearby table.

_That's it. This is just some crazy dream. This can't be happening. _I finally gave up, deeming this whole experience to be a insanely real dream. I let him lay me gently down, didn't protest as he laid besides me and wrapped strong arms around my middle. I let sleep pull down my eyelids, barely noticing when a few strands of my hair were gently tugged and separated, nor when a tiny clasp weighed down my new braid.

I only felt his warmth and the safety of Fili's presence.

_My imagination is really detailed..._

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><p><strong>An: So what do you think? I really like the name 'Mana'. It's short and sweet, also used for magic use in games... yeah. Please review and tell me what you think! I just might have Kili and Thorin make an appearance just for fun later on. <strong>

**I always thought that Kili got a lot more love than Fili, so here's a story for some Fili lovin'! There honestly isn't enough. **

**Again, please tell me what you think so far and review!**

**ellie**


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